tempdb is one scratch database shared by every database on the instance. The three kinds of thing that land in it, why it is rebuilt at every restart, and the reason its file count keeps coming up.
Table Partitioning Is Not Sharding: What Partitioning Really Gives You
See why partitioning is not sharding, build monthly partitions, inspect elimination, and switch a month out for simpler data management.
SQL Server on a Virtual Machine: What Actually Changes
SQL Server on a virtual machine cannot see the host it is sharing. Why more virtual processors can be slower, what memory reservation buys you, why snapshots are not backups, and the four things I check first.
TechEd India 2013 Bangalore and Pune: A Photo Journey
TechEd India 2013 Bangalore and Pune was my fifth TechEd and fourth as a speaker: four sessions in two cities, on performance troubleshooting and indexes, told in photos.
What Is a Deadlock in SQL Server?
A deadlock in SQL Server is two sessions each holding what the other needs. I caused one on purpose and read error 1205. Why it is not the same as blocking, who gets killed, and the boring fix that works.
Overlapping Indexes With INCLUDE Columns: Merging Them Safely
Find overlapping indexes, compare ordered keys and INCLUDE lists, merge coverage carefully, and review usage before removing either index.
Why Queries Recompile
Why queries recompile becomes clearer when you capture Extended Events causes and check schema changes, statistics, SET options, and temp tables.